Steering device for traction-engines.



. 0. S. WHITWORTH. STEERING DEVICE FOR TRACTION ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2, 1011.

1,034,550., Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

G. S. WHITWORTH.

STEERING DEVICE FOR 'I'RAGTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2, 1911,

Patented Aug. 6, 1912 2 S-HEETS-SHEET 2.

' Tl'il CHAR-LES S. NI-IITWOBTH, OF CEDAR FALLS, IOWA.

ETEERING DEVICE FOR TRACTION-ENGINES.

Application filed November 2, 1911.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that 1, CHARLES S. lViirr- WORTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cedar Falls, in. the county or" B-iilClIlltlV/k and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful improvements in [-Elteering Devices for Traction-Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to-be a full, clear, and exact description oi the in vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved steering mechanism for trac lion engines, by the use oi which, when desired, the steering oi the engine may be accomplished automatically, but by the use of which also, when desired, the engine may be steered o the o crater.

A steering mechanism of this kind is especially adaptable and serviceable in connection with traction engines used to draw gang plows,where,when following a furrow, the steering should he automatic, but at other times, it should be under the control of the operator.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l ispa plan view showing an ordinary traction engine, such as is frequently used in connection with gang; plows, some parts being; removed, but showing the manner of coi'inecting my improved steering mechanism thereto; Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the front axle and the steering attachment and coiiperating connections applied thereto in accordance "with my invention; Fig. 3 is a side elevation oi the parts shownin Fig. 2; .i ig. 4i is a detail view in front elevation showing the guide wheel, its axle and the front end of the guide arm to which said axle is pivoted; and Fig. is a perspective View with parts broken away, illustrating the pivotal ctmncction between the front end of the guide arm and the axle of the guide wheel.

Of the parts of the traction engine, the numeral 1 indicates the main frame, the Immoral 2 the rear axle, the numeral 3 the rear or traction Wheels, the numeral 4: the pivoted front axle, and the numeral. 5 the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 6, fwiil Serial No. 658,109.

front wheels. The numeral. 6 indicates a transversely extended Windlass shaft suitably journaied in the sides of the frame 1, and provided at one end with a worm gear T. The numeral indicates the hand-operated steering wheel having a rod 9 journaled in suitable bearings on the side of the frame 1, and provided with a worm 10 that meshes with the worm gear 7. The numeral 11 indicates steering chains attached at their front ends to the pivoted front axle, and at their rear ends attached to and reverscly wound upon the Windlass shaft 6. The parts so far specifically noted are those of an or dinary traction engine. The so-callcd guide arm which carries the guide wheel, at its front end, extends forward from the trout axle 4 of the traction engine and is hinged thereto for vertical movements, but par-- takes of the horizontal oscillatory movements of the said axle. This guide arm, as shown, is in the term of a forwardly converging skeleton frame 12, the loiigitudinal.

bars of which, at their rear ends, are pivoted at 13 to the bottom members of pairs of clumping heads let. rigidly but detacbably secured to the axle l by nut-equipped bolts 15. To the front ends of the pairs of frame or arm bat-s12, upper and lower tie plates 1.6 are riveted, or otherwise rigidly secured by bolts or nuts, and to the top tie plate 16, o'll'set metal guide straps 17 are rigidly attached The guide wheel 18, which is adapted to run either in the furrow or on level ground, journalcd on the inclined trunnion or end of a guide axle 19, which is in the form of a lover and is passed between the top tie plates 16 and the overlying; guide straps l7, and is pivoted. at 20 to one of the said guide straps, and to the said. top plate. The other end of the lever projects beyond the top plate it; and is provided, preferably, with a multiplicity of longitudinally spaced perforations 21. i (la one of the transverseintermediate bars of the frame 12, a lever 22 is intermediately pivoted The ends of this lever are preferably-provided with longitudinally spaced pcrtorations 23.

axle 19 by a col-meeting rod 24?. Guide cables 25 are attached at their lront ends to One side of the lever 22 is connected to the perforated end of thethe opposite perforated ends of the lever 22, and are, as shown, passed rearward through guides 26 on the axle 4, and at their rear ends, are attached to and adapted to be reversely wound upon the Windlass shaft 6 of the ordinary or primary steering mechanism.

The operation of the improved steering mechanism is substantially as follows: The cables 25 should normally be quite taut, while the cables 11 should normally be considerably slack in one or the other, or both thereof. In driving the machine over the field, or for that matter, at any time when the so-called guide wheel 18 is in contact with the ground and not in a furrow, the engine may be steered at will, either straight ahead or on the curve or turn, simply by manipulation of the ordinary steering wheel 8, substantially in the usual way. The importance of the arrangement is, however,

that the guide wheel 18 will be set at the proper angle for the desired direction of travel, by pivotal movements of its axle 19, so that it may be kept in contact with the ground when out of the furrow, as well as when in a furrow. lVithout this arrangement for moving the axle 19, it will be necessary always to raise the guide wheel out of.

contact with the ground when the engine is to be turned around or at any other time except when following the furrow. Tn following a furrow in the plowing action, the guide wheel 18 runs in the furrow and by slight adjustments of its axle 19, it may be set so that it will hugone side of the furrow with the desired side thrust.

Of course, the engine may be steered by manipulation of the steering wheel 8, even if the main or primary cables 11 were disconnected, but it is desirable to leave the same connected so that in running over the roads for a considerable distance, the automatic steering attachment may be removed from the engine. When both pairs of steering cables are attached, the two cooperate under manipulation of the steering wheel 8, but the cables 25 to the attachment .wing taut, render the attachment more sensitive and more quickly respons ve to the movements of the said steering mechanism. This action is desirable because when the steering mechanism is set to automatically follow a furrow, or when it is desired to slightly adjust the guide wheel when running in a furrow, this may be done without requiring sufficient movement of the steering wheel 8 to affect the front axle 4: through the chains 11.

"The adjustable connections between the axle 19, lever. 22, connecting rod 2a and cables-25 permit the guide wheel 18 to be set at the desired angle in respect to-the front I wheels 5.

The purpose of hinging the guide arms or frame 12 to the front axle is, of course, to

permit the guide wheel 18 to follow irregularities in the ground or in the furrow, and to run over obstacles l/Vhat I claim is:

1. The combination with a traction engine having a pivoted front axle, a Windlass shaft and steering wheel with connections for moving said Windlass shaft to steer said front axle, of a steering attachment comprising a forwardly projecting guide-arm partaking of the horizontal pivotal movements of said axle, a guide axle pivoted to the front end of said guide arm, a guide Wheel journaled on one end of said guide axle, and independent steering connections between said guide axle and the said Windlass shaft, said independent connections having a common,

controller or operating device, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a traction engine having a pivoted front axle and means to steer said axle, of a forwardly projecting guide arm partaking of the horizontal pivotal movements of said axle, a horizontal guide axle intermediately pivoted to the front end of said guide arm, a guidewheel journaled on one end of said guide axle, and an operating connection extending from the other end of said guide axlerearward and connected to said means for steering the front axle.

3. The combination with a traction engine having a pivoted wheel-equipped axle, of a guide arm extending from said axle but con-' axle, a guide arm connected to the front axle of said engine for horizontal pivotal movementstherewith, a guide axle intermediately pivoted to the front end of said guide arm, a 7

guide wheel journaled on one end of said guide axle, and operating connections intermediate of said guide axle and Windlass shaft, includlng cables and levers and means for adjusting the same to vary or setthe,

angularity of said uide wheel in respect to the front wheels of said engine. 1

5. The combination with a traction engine having a pivoted front axle, a Windlass shaft and steering wheel with connections for moving said Windlass shaft, of a steering attachment comprising a forwardly projectoeqeeeo ing guide arm partaking of the horizontal pivoial movements of said axie a guide axle pivoted to the front end of the said. guide arm, a guide Wheel join-nailed on one end of said guide axle, a rod extending rearward from the othei' end of said guide axle, an intermediate lever to which the rear end of said red'is oonneo'ked, and cables ezrtended fz oni the o1 intermediate lever and revel-sel wound o1 eaid Windlass shaft.

61 The omnhimiuon with a meme engine having pivoted front axle, {L Windiass shaft and steering wheel with connections for moving said Windlass shaft to steer said front axle, of a steering attachment oomprisinge forwardly projecting guide arm partaking of the horizontal pivotal movements of said axle, an approximately horizontal intermediately pivoted guide axle associated with the front end of said guide arm, a guide wheel jou naled on the end of said guide axle, and connections between said guide axle and the Windlass shaft whereby the former can beactuated by the latter.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in. presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES S WHITWORTH. Witnesses:

F. D. MERCHANT, HARRY D. KILGORE. 

